Major: Biology
Minor: Genetics
Class Year: 2028
High School: Rockwall High School
Advisors: Dr. Jennifer Dulin (TAMU); Dr. Jennifer Woo (UTA)
Research Focus: Spinal Cord Injury, Stem Cell Treatment, Epigenetics, Vitamin D
Other Projects and Publications: 1) Preparing for a podium presentation over a differential gene expression analysis in pregnant African American women with Vitamin D deficiency and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) research conference in Montreal, Canada, in November 2025; 2) Writing a manuscript over this differential gene expression analysis; 3) Preparing for a poster presentation at the Texas A&M Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics (IPN) Research Symposium in September 2025.
Organizations and Programs: Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, University Honors, Departmental (Biology) Honors, Dermatological TAMU, NMDP, American Medical Student Association (AMSA), National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS)
Awards and Distinctions: Summer 2025 University of Texas at Arlington Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Integrative Physiology (SURPINT) Research Grant Recipient, Dean’s Excellence Award Semifinalist (announcements in October)
Experience: Summer Research, National Research Conferences, Poster Presentations, Research Paper Presentations, Manuscript Writing, Shadowing, Volunteering
Years Experience: 1
Other Activities: St. Mary's Catholic Church
Bio: Howdy! My name is Ashley Chiu, and I am a Class of 2028 biology major and genetics minor. I am in both University Honors and Departmental (Biology) Honors and hope to attend medical school for either dermatology, oncology, or pathology. I absolutely love research, and I hope to be able to share my experiences with you guys!
Right now, I am in two undergraduate research labs, one here at Texas A&M and one at the University of Texas at Arlington. At A&M, I joined Dr. Jennifer Dulin's spinal cord lab in October 2024, where I currently help Ph.D. candidate Vipin Jagrit explore how a combination of neural stem cell transplantation and rehabilitation helps restore forelimb motor function in mice following cervical spinal cord injury through the reestablishment of synaptic connections. The objective of this research is to develop new treatments patients can undergo to regain sensory functions following traumatic vehicular accidents. In this lab, I mainly help with histological analysis, which includes cardiac perfusions, dissections, staining, imaging, and cell quantification. I am also set to present at the Texas A&M Institute of Pharmacology and Neurotherapeutics (IPN) Research Symposium in September 2025 with one of my colleague over our project.
At UT Arlington, I work under Dr. Jennifer Woo and help explore the relationship between Vitamin D and preterm birth in African American women, who are statistically more likely to experience preterm birth/preeclampsia. I joined this lab in December 2024, and this past summer, I was a recipient of UT Arlington’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Integrative Physiology (SURPINT) research grant. During this internship, I helped Dr. Woo perform a differential gene expression analysis in a cohort of pregnant African American women with a mix of Vitamin D deficiency and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (i.e. preeclampsia), and I presented my findings in a formal poster symposium at the end of the internship. This project actually got accepted as a podium presentation at the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) research conference taking place in Montreal, Canada, in November 2025, so I will be traveling to Canada during the fall semester to give this presentation! I also presented at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) research conference earlier in June 2025 over Vitamin D’s role in regulating the expression of Interleukin-6, an inflammatory gene, in pregnant African American women.
Please reach out if you have any questions about how to get involved with research! I would absolutely love to help in any way I can! Have a blessed day!